Imaging damaged lung tissue using compositions

Abstract

The present invention relates to methods and compositions for targeting damaged lung tissue. Compositions provided feature a targeting moiety coupled to one or more other moieties, including, for example, a cross-linkable moiety, an imaging moiety, and/or one or more other targeting moieties. The methods and compositions of the invention find use, for example, in detecting and treating a pulmonary condition such as emphysema.

1 . A composition comprising an imaging moiety and a targeting moiety wherein said moieties are coupled and wherein said targeting moiety targets damaged lung tissue.  
     
     
         2 . The composition as recited in  claim 1  wherein said lung tissue comprises epithelial lining fluid.  
     
     
         3 . The composition as recited in  claim 1  wherein said composition does not comprise a polysaccharide or a carbohydrate moiety.  
     
     
         4 . The composition as recited in  claim 1  wherein said composition does not comprise an antibody.  
     
     
         5 . The composition as recited in  claim 1  wherein said composition does not comprise a mutant plasminogen activator-inhibitor type  1 .  
     
     
         6 . The composition as recited in  claim 1  wherein said composition does not comprise a lung membrane dipeptidase-binding molecule.  
     
     
         7 . The composition as recited in  claim 1  wherein said targeting moiety does not target a lung membrane dipeptidase.  
     
     
         8 . The composition as recited in  claim 1  wherein said targeting moiety targets a damage-correlated moiety.  
     
     
         9 . The composition as recited in  claim 8  wherein said damage-correlated moiety comprises a cell surface marker.  
     
     
         10 . The composition as recited in  claim 8  wherein said damage-correlated moiety comprises an ECM component.  
     
     
         11 . The composition as recited in  claim 1  wherein said targeting moiety targets elastase.  
     
     
         12 . The composition as recited in  claim 1  wherein said targeting moiety targets neutrophil elastase.  
     
     
         13 . The composition as recited in  claim 1  wherein said targeting moiety comprises a protease inhibitor moiety.  
     
     
         14 . The composition as recited in  claim 1  wherein said targeting moiety comprises an alpha-1 antitrypsin moiety.  
     
     
         15 . The composition as recited in  claim 14  wherein said alpha-1 antitrypsin moiety is a recombinant alpha-1 antitrypsin moiety.  
     
     
         16 . The composition as recited in  claim 1  wherein said targeting moiety comprises an elafin moiety.  
     
     
         17 . The composition as recited in  claim 16  wherein said elafin moiety is a recombinant elafin moiety  
     
     
         18 . The composition as recited in  claim 1  wherein said targeting moiety comprises a serpin moiety.  
     
     
         19 . The composition as recited in  claim 18  wherein said serpin moiety is a recombinant serpin moiety  
     
     
         20 . The composition as recited in  claim 18  wherein said serpin moiety is a secretory leukoprotease inhibitor (SLP1) moiety.  
     
     
         21 . The composition as recited in  claim 20  wherein said secretory leukoprotease inhibitor (SLP1) moiety is a recombinant secretory leukoprotease inhibitor (SLP1) moiety.  
     
     
         22 . The composition as recited in  claim 1  wherein said targeting moiety targets at least one matrix metalloproteinase selected from MMP-1, MMP-2, MMP-3, MMP-4, MMP-5, MMP-6, MMP-7, MMP-8, and MMP-9.  
     
     
         23 . The composition as recited in  claim 22  wherein said composition does not comprise a hyaluronic acid or a salt thereof.  
     
     
         24 . The composition as recited in  claim 1  wherein said targeting moiety targets desmosine and/or isodesmosine.  
     
     
         25 . The composition as recited in  claim 1  wherein said targeting moiety targets CD8 and/or CD4.  
     
     
         26 . The composition as recited in  claim 1  wherein said targeting moiety targets a smoke-related moiety.  
     
     
         27 . The composition as recited in  claim 1  wherein said imaging moiety comprises a contrasting agent.  
     
     
         28 . The composition as recited in  claim 27  wherein said contrasting agent is non-ionic.  
     
     
         29 . The composition as recited in  claim 27  wherein said contrasting agent is ionic  
     
     
         30 . The composition as recited in  claim 1  wherein said imaging moiety comprises at least one metal compound selected from a tantalum compound and a barium compound.  
     
     
         31 . The composition as recited in  claim 1  wherein said imaging moiety comprises iodine.  
     
     
         32 . The composition as recited in  claim 1  wherein said imaging moiety comprises at least one organic iodo acid selected from an iodo carboxylic acid, a triiodophenol, an iodoform, and a tetraiodoethylene.  
     
     
         33 . The composition as recited in  claim 1  wherein said imaging moiety comprises a non-radioactive moiety  
     
     
         34 . The composition as recited in  claim 1  wherein said imaging moiety comprises a proton-emitting moiety.  
     
     
         35 . The composition as recited in  claim 1  wherein said imaging moiety comprises a radiopaque moiety and/or a radioactive moiety.  
     
     
         36 . The composition as recited in  claim 1  wherein said imaging moiety comprises a magnetic moiety.  
     
     
         37 . The composition as recited in  claim 1  wherein said imaging moiety comprises a radiopharmaceutical.  
     
     
         38 . The composition as recited in  claim 1  wherein said imaging moiety comprises an In-111 moiety.  
     
     
         39 . The composition as recited in  claim 1  wherein said imaging moiety comprises a Tc-99m moiety.  
     
     
         40 . The composition as recited in  claim 1  wherein said imaging moiety comprises an Xe-133 moiety.  
     
     
         41 . The composition as recited in  claim 1  wherein said composition is less than 10 microns.  
     
     
         42 . The composition as recited in  claim 1  wherein said composition is less than 5 microns.  
     
     
         43 . The composition as recited in  claim 1  wherein said composition is less than 1 micron.  
     
     
         44 . The composition as recited in  claim 1  wherein said composition further comprises a coupled cross-linkable moiety and/or another coupled targeting moiety.